Systems and methods for flame strength monitoring in gas powered appliances

A gas powered furnace comprising:

• a combustion chamber;
• a main burner disposed in the combustion chamber for burning gas;
• a flame sensor assembly including:
• a probe positioned proximate the main burner in the combustion chamber to couple an electric current to the main burner through a flame on the main burner and not to couple an electric current to the main burner when the flame is not present on the main burner;
• a flame detector circuit that provides a digital signal that indicates presence or absence of the flame on the main burner based on the electric current provided through the probe;
• and
• a flame strength circuit that receives a voltage on a component of the flame detector circuit and outputs an analog signal based on the voltage;
• and
• a controller connected to the flame sensor assembly, the controller programmed to:
• control the main burner to selectively generate heat;
• receive the digital signal from the flame detector circuit;
• receive the analog signal from the flame strength circuit;
• determine, based at least in part on the digital output from the flame detector circuit, whether or not a flame is present on the main burner;
• and
• determine, based at least in part on the analog signal from the flame strength circuit, a strength of the flame on the main burner.